


Blind Date

by JosephineStone



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Future Mpreg, HP: EWE, M/M, Online Dating, wizards and technology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-17 00:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8123140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JosephineStone/pseuds/JosephineStone
Summary: Draco’s been working with Harry for years when another one of his relationships goes stale. He has to be married within a year, and though the WizNet has burned him in the past, Draco finds a new possibility in man as desperate to marry as he is. Only then for Harry to see his last chance with Draco slipping away, and he refuses to let Draco ignore his advances any longer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
>  **Warning(s):** Mentions of future mpreg
> 
>  **Epilogue compliant?** No
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Thank you so much to _DIGTHEWRITER_ for the quick beta and being so patient with me getting this story in so late.
> 
> Written for [Prompt 38](http://hd-familyfest.livejournal.com/14832.html?thread=209904#t209904) for [hd_familyfest](http://hd-familyfest.livejournal.com/)

Draco was content as he started his morning listening to Paul’s soft snores beside him. They’d met through Draco’s aunt Andromeda. Paul was the son of her late husband’s partner in the Aurors. Paul was not an Auror himself, thank Merlin, though he did work at the Ministry.

The room was dark except for the light that shown off Draco’s mobile as Paul’s snores stopped and he shifted next to Draco.

‘It’s five in the morning,’ Paul said, rolling towards Draco and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ‘Do you ever stop working?’

Draco was sorting through his emails, scanning the subjects to see if they were urgent and not something he could deal with later once he was in his office. He had checked them right before bed, so they were quick to go through that morning. Still, it must be done.

‘I’m a Healer.’ Draco put away his phone, finished with it for the moment, and slipped closer to Paul under the sheets of Draco’s bed. ‘I wasn’t working last night.’

Paul snorted at that. ‘If I looked in your calendar, it wouldn’t have "sex with Paul" scheduled?’

Draco didn’t answer; mostly because he didn’t want to give too much away in case Paul was joking and hadn’t seen his calendar. He kissed him instead, until Paul pushed him back. Paul groaned and buried his face into his pillow. He was not a morning person. Few people Draco knew were. It was part of the reason mornings were his favourite time of day.

‘Go back to sleep,’ Draco said. ‘I hadn’t meant to wake you.’

‘It’s fine.’ Paul sat up and stretched his arms over his head, letting the sheets fall down his body. ‘I should get back home, anyway.’

There it was, again—the perfect segue into the conversation Draco had been meaning to have with Paul for a few weeks. He still hesitated. Draco had been to this point a few times with other men and had somehow managed to mess it up each time. He read the signals wrong; _they were only a fling_. Managed to insult them by saying the wrong thing; _he asked them to marry them over an inheritance?_

Draco and Paul were new in comparison to some of the others, but Draco was running out of time. His thirtieth birthday was a month away, and if he wasn’t engaged by then, married by the next year, and had an heir soon after that, he’d lose his inheritance.

Yes, it had something to do with an inheritance but not _everything_ to do with it.

Even though he made enough to take care of himself, the Manor and its contents were part of the inheritance. If he lost it, Malfoy Manor would no longer be Malfoy Manor after his mother died. He’d have nothing to leave his heir once he had one later. If he had a child later, he thought, as he had become more pessimistic about that happening with as much rejection he’d received.

‘You could stay,’ Draco said.

‘Yes, we just discussed that.’

‘No, I mean: this could be your home.’

Paul laughed but then sobered at the look on Draco’s face. ‘You’re serious.’

Draco held his breath, knowing what was coming next. If he couldn’t even get Paul to live with him, if the idea of it was laughable, marriage was far from a reality for them.

As Paul searched for a gentle way to turn Draco down, Draco debated fessing up about the money. It wasn’t like they couldn’t get a divorce later. He could pay him to do it. But just like with the others before Paul, Draco bit his tongue. If he was going to pay someone, he’d have married Pansy. Plus, he didn’t want to have a child with someone who had no desire to be there passed a couple of years.

Gesturing for Paul to stop with his apologies, Draco said, ‘It’s all right.’

‘I should go.’

Paul got up and dressed quickly as Draco watched. He was a beautiful man. They’d all be beautiful men. Lean and an inch taller than Draco, just like he liked them. His hair was blond but shades darker than Draco’s with dark brown eyes. Catching Draco staring, Paul smiled at him with only one side turning up: his fake smile. He hesitated as he tied his shoes, concentrating on them more than it required.

‘Does this mean we’re breaking up?’

He wanted to wait for Paul—he’d wanted to wait for others before—but there was no other answer Draco could give; he was running out of time.

‘Yes.’

#

The morning was thankfully a busy one. It helped Draco get lost in his work. By mid-morning, Draco had already seen more than half a dozen patients. It helped that his favourite nurse was on duty that morning. Even working the desk alone, she kept up with him and two other Healers without messing anything up.

‘You’re all business today,’ Nurse Stone said as she took the latest file off Draco’s hands. He gave her a questioning look but said nothing, and she laughed at her own joke: Draco was all business every day.

‘More so than usual?’ Potter asked as he appeared next to them, slipped behind the desk, and took the file from her. ‘Sorry, I’m late. I’ll get this.’

‘No problem, you’re right on time for my break; that’s all I care about. It’s Matron Grey you need to worry about.’ Nodding to them both, she rounded the desk and headed toward the cafe. They had a break room, where Draco took his lunch, but the cafe was the more popular choice. Also, the reason Draco choose the opposite.

Potter smirked at Draco still standing in the middle of the corridor. ‘Did you need something else?’

He rolled his eyes and moved on, pushing down the desire to remind Potter that _he_ was the Healer here and that Potter was a mere nurse. Potter brought out the child in him—the stubborn, angry one.

Despite what Nurse Stone said, Potter had nothing to worry about; least of all Matron Grey.

He could come in late every day, hair a mess, robes wrinkled, blotching up every file that he touched, and Matron Grey wouldn’t even blink. He made the mess and the rest of them cleaned it up, but he wasn’t there for any of the work to begin with. He was _Harry Potter_ and a great deal of the nurses’ job was keeping patients happy; Potter walking in their room and smiling at them, was all it took to make them happy.

Nurse Stone was the expert that Draco needed to do his job, but Harry Potter was the nurse who took the sting off Draco’s Dark Mark.

Potter could do fuck all—yet Draco’s career depended on him, more so than any other nurse there.

Everyone knew it, and Draco hated him for it.

After years of training and getting the highest marks on every test, Draco was floundering in his residency. The patients didn’t trust him, refused to look at him; some would scream if he entered the room.

They didn’t want to lose Draco, so they put him in an office and had him go through everyone’s files. He helped them even if they never knew it, but that couldn’t last forever. A Healer who never saw his patients was useless.

Then in walked Potter, saving Draco from himself again without even trying.

Without finishing Hogwarts, Potter was accepted into the Aurors. They even waived the standard training for him. Pushed him right on through to working cases with other trained Aurors. If the rumours were true: he was good at it. Earned a promotion after the first year. Case after case solved, making headlines with each one. That’s where the rumours branch off into speculation.

The truth as Draco knew it was this: Potter’s eyes became more vacant in each picture they posted in the paper. Until one day, he disappeared, and there weren’t pictures of him anymore.

And then another day, he showed up at St Mungo’s: bright-eyed, wide-smiled, and ready to start training as a nurse.

‘Healer Malfoy, I think we’ve found a solution to our problem.’

Draco grit his teeth as Healer Smith walked with Potter to show him around their ward, and everyone kept smiling at him as though he should be on top of the world with this new development.

Perhaps, he should have been. Draco told himself that had it been any number of other famous witches and wizards, he would have been grateful.

But this was Potter, and Draco already owed him too much.

#

‘What are you so on edge about?’ Pansy asked over tea that evening.

‘I’m not on edge.’ But the way Draco snapped at her only solidified her opinion on the matter. That he’d come over to hers straight away after work instead of waiting for her to make an appearance at his only made it more obvious that something was wrong. Draco didn’t want to say it nor have to explain it, but this was Pansy so it only took her a moment to figure it out.

‘You broke up with Paul.’

True enough. ‘He hated the hours I kept.’

Pansy rolled her eyes.

‘He wasn’t ready.’

‘That sounds a bit more likely.’

Draco dropped his face into his hands and began to rub his temples. Soon he felt Pansy’s hands running through his hair.

‘You’ll find someone, Draco. Give it time and it’ll happen.’

‘The problem is that I don’t have time.’

Then she heaved an exasperated sigh and left him return to her tea. ‘You know—’

‘No,’ Draco said, already knowing where the conversation was going.

‘It worked for me.’

‘I’m not looking for another fling.’ Draco stood and began pacing. ‘Who’s going to reply to: Death Eater seeking attractive male, must love children—including birthing them, be prepared to start planning the wedding today!’

Pansy smirked as she shook her head at him. ‘Description has changed since we first had this conversation.’

‘The situation is more desperate,’ Draco said, and then groaned as the words left his mouth.

‘ _Only_ if you were _desperate_..." I believe were the exact words you chose last time you refused to sign up with _Accio Mate_.’

Draco bit his tongue to keep from saying anything. He’d been the one to talk her into signing up with them last year when he was happily in a relationship with Edward, who he’d _met_ there. He’d been upfront about who he was and met the perfect person for him. Or so he thought.

Turned out Death Eater kink was a thing.

Pansy grabbed Draco’s hand and dragged him to sofa and shoved him onto it. She summoned her laptop, then sat next to him opening the WizNet and logged into Draco’s account.

‘You memorised my info?’

‘Did you expect anything less?’ She went through the settings to change his description first.

‘Get rid of the pictures.’

‘You won’t get as many views without pictures.’

‘Everyone knows I was marked, Pansy. Just deleting the word off the description isn’t going to change anything.’

Pansy grumbled but did it as he asked. Then as the mouse hovered over the last picture, she stopped.

‘What?’

‘You know, maybe _Accio Mate_ isn’t the site for you?’

‘Are there others?’

‘There are new sites being created all the time, Draco, really.’ Pansy smiled at him as she typed into the search engine. ‘There’s money in this Net business; even Daddy is thinking of starting one.’

‘A dating site?’

‘WizNet site, in general. Oh, perfect!’ Pansy bounced in her seat. ‘No pictures required, of course, that’s more the point of it.’

‘Blind Date?’ Draco read on the screen. He tried not to sound to hopeful as he read the purpose of the site. It matched you up, just like the other sites, based on common interests and what you were looking for in a partner. The niche with this one was the lack of pictures, but more so it for the rich and famous to remain anonymous.

‘Date of Birth?’ Pansy asked.

Draco glared at her as she typed the answer in, and then asked, ‘What if I don’t count as famous?’

‘Rich, darling.’

‘Marked, Pansy.’

Pansy huffed. ‘I’m sure they’ll figure that out once I’ve typed in your name.’

‘Don’t use my name—I thought this was supposed to be anonymous.’

‘Your screen name is general Draco—’

‘Pick a different one.’

It amazed Draco how quickly Pansy had learned to type. Draco was better with his phone than a keyboard. The information flew onto the screen under her fingers. Draco snorted at the screen name Pansy picked: dragon0680. Enough that anyone who was close to him would know who it was instantly, but otherwise not so much. He couldn’t judge her, though, his previous one had been draco0680. Pansy loved her mobile as well, but to talk, not send messages. Even when he messaged her, she replied by calling him.

‘That should be all.’ She submitted it and no error sounded.

Draco exhaled. They were in and on to the fun part. All the questions to help match him with someone.

‘Children?’

‘Pansy.’ Draco’s tone was warning.

‘Hmmm, they don’t specify who would carry the baby.’

‘Move on.’

‘What? I think it’s an important question.’

Draco rolled his eyes and bit his tongue a lot through the rest of the questions, but he was smiling by the end of it. They read through other’s profiles, laughing at the thought of a famous Quidditch player falling in love with Draco, or ending up in a relationship with a politician just like his parents wanted him to.

‘How do you feel about dogs?’ Pansy asked.

‘I’m not much of a pet person.’

‘Really? I would have thought you’d like cats.’

Daphne Greengrass’s cat loved Draco when they were at Hogwarts. She’d thrown a snit because her cat ran up to sleep on Draco’s bed every night instead of with her. Draco didn’t mind the cat curled up near his pillow, but that didn’t mean he wanted one climbing up in his lap leaving trails of his fur all over his clothing every day.

‘Oh!’ Pansy grabbed Draco’s arm. ‘Look, this one says he wants to get married now.’

Under commitment: marriage, they’d had a time frame option. In the next five years, two, one, _right now_. Draco thought it was probably a joke, and he knew Pansy marked it for him as a joke. Albeit one that hit close to home.

He scanned the rest of the match. ‘We don’t match on too much else.’

‘Draco, focus. You need a husband and fast; therefore, I don’t care if this bloke’s idea of a good time is yodelling, you’re going to give him a chance.’

‘I care—not about yodelling—but I’m not going to marry someone I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my life with. I’d rather lose the Manor and be alone forever.’

‘With or without the manor.’ Pansy dropped her head to Draco’s shoulder. ‘You’re not going to be alone forever, love.’

‘I wish I could believe that,’ Draco said, pressing his cheek against the top of her head and looking back at the man’s profile. ‘Do you think he’s joking? It says he’s our age. That’s not so old.’

‘Maybe he needs to get married, like you.’

‘Or he’s ready?’

Pansy tilted her head back and looked up at Draco. ‘Are you ready?’

He started to answer her, but the words got stuck in formation.

‘Have you considered _that’s_ the reason you can’t seem to find the right person? Maybe, you just aren’t ready yet?’

‘I’m ready,’ Draco said, finally. ‘Just because you aren’t doesn’t mean I’m not. They weren’t right for me is all.’

#

Leaning forward over his cup of coffee, Draco rubbed the back of his neck. It had been a long morning. Potter was late, again, and he had to deal with two patients without him. Nurse Stone calmed them down once he’d left the room, but he’d lost them. They were both with other Healers by the time Potter decided to show up.

‘That’s not all you’re having,’ Potter said as he came into the break room.

‘What are you doing in here?’

Potter snorted. ‘It’s not your office.’

‘It’s not time for your break either. I don’t see how you could be tired at all after only being here for two hours.’

It was quiet for a moment as Potter looked him over and Draco avoided eye contact.

‘I heard about this morning.’ Potter had the decency to look embarrassed, but it didn’t make Draco forgive him. He wasn’t as easy to please as everyone else when it came to Potter. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘I’ll believe that once you start showing up on time.’

Potter sat across from Draco with his own cup of coffee and a bowl of something he’d brought from home. Draco straightened as Potter pushed the bowl in front of him.

‘What’s this?’

‘You need to eat.’

‘I can feed myself.’ He’d just not had the energy to think about his lunch that morning. He went to push the food away, but the scent had caught his nose and his stomach growled in response.

‘I wasn’t offering to feed it to you.’ Potter smiled as he drank his coffee. He always swallowed it in big gulps no matter how much steam was still pour out of the mug. Potter probably wouldn’t even be able to taste whatever it was he’d brought with him.

Draco glanced down to see it looked like leftover breakfast. Potatoes, eggs, ham, and mushrooms all mixed together. Draco enjoyed all of those things separately, but he wasn’t much for food mixing.

He could feel Potter’s eyes on him, but when he looked up Potter looked away.

‘I’m not much of a morning person,’ Potter said.

‘I’ve gathered.’

Sighing, Potter stood and took his cup to the sink. After he left, Draco gave in and ate Potter’s lunch. He figured Potter would rather go down to the cafe and socialise with everyone else anyway. Draco couldn’t figure out why Potter had even brought his lunch with him. Unless, he just needed to get rid of it.

He left the break room to see Potter leaving one of the patients’ rooms smiling as he made his way back to the desk to makes his notes.

‘You know, you can take that in there with you and make your notes while you’re with them.’

‘They don’t like that,’ Potter said. ‘It feels impersonal to them.’

‘You risk forgetting something.’

‘I have a good memory.’ Then looking up, Potter looked Draco up and down. ‘You’re in a better mood.’

Draco didn’t want to admit Potter’s food had helped with that. ‘It was just a shit morning, and then I remember I have a date tonight.’

‘Paul?’

‘No, we broke up.’

‘Oh?’ Potter looked up and their met. ‘What happened?’

‘Same as always—it was just a casual thing.’

‘And you’re not looking for a casual thing?’

‘At thirty?’ Draco smirked. ‘What about you, Potter? I saw that your ex had another baby.’

Potter nodded. ‘A fifth. When we were dating she said she’d only want two.’

‘People change their minds. Kids are cute; they're good at changing people’s minds.’

‘You like kids?’ Potter said it as if he didn’t believe it.

‘Like I said: kids are cute.’ And then after a moment. ‘You’re avoiding the question.’

‘I haven’t seen anyone—I’ve been busy with . . .’ Having a mental break down was left unsaid.

‘But you’ve been here for _years_ now.’

‘You have a patient waiting,’ Potter said. ‘Room twelve.’

Draco took the file and dropped the conversation. It was a relief to see that this was one of his regular patients. Potter followed Draco down the hall a moment later. They entered the room one right after the other, and Draco didn’t have to look at Potter to know he was smiling at Mrs Porter.

They went through their routine, Draco checking her with spells while Potter asked questions. She’d was older and had problems with her hip, but after Draco’s fix during their last visit she reported that she was much more stable.

After she left, Draco turned in surprise to see Potter still there.

‘So, if not Paul, then who?’

‘A blind date,’ Draco said too surprised to think up a lie. ‘From off the WizNet. Pansy talked me into it.’

‘I thought you swore that off?’

Draco was surprised that Potter remembered. They made small talk every now and then, but nothing ever important or too personal. He’d complained to Nurse Stone about his previous dating only when she pushed him. As they’d joked many times before, Draco was all business at work.

‘Small talk,’ Potter had said once after particularly difficult patient.

‘What?’

‘It would help if you talked to your patient.’

Draco looked away. ‘They have no interest in talking to me.’  
‘It helps people relax to talk. Just try it.’

Then Potter started the small talk with Draco. Talking to the patients and pulling Draco into the conversation.

Once it began to work, Draco tried to hate him for that, too.

#

‘You have message!’

Pansy was far more excited about this whole thing than Draco was. His last date was far from an experience he wanted to repeat. That was the risk with them not knowing who he was prior to the date. He knew that. Most people were at the least uncomfortable around Draco knowing his past.

Draco clicked on the username and scanned the profile before reading the message. ‘Another for marriage right now.’

Pansy rolled her eyes. ‘And?’

‘The last one didn’t turn out so well.’

‘It had nothing to do with the marriage part, and you know it.’

He clicked on the message and it was a simple: _Hi._

‘Don’t you dare!’ Pansy said as Draco moved to delete it. ‘Respond.’

Draco waited for Pansy to back off before he clicked in the box and typed his message.  
_My best friend tells me despite your desperate plea for marriage, I must give you a chance,_ Draco typed into the message box and sent it before Pansy could stop him.

‘You’re horrible, Draco.’ But then Pansy left to get a drink as lightningstag responded.

_Your profile also states you’re looking for marriage right now._

‘He’s online!’

‘Really!’ Pansy shrieked and ran to look over his shoulder.

 _Yes, that was her reasoning as well._ Draco typed back.

‘Oh, Draco, don’t ruin it before you have a date.’

‘This is my sense of humour, Pansy, if he can’t take it now how will he handle being married to me?’

A chat window popped up with his reply instead of another private message.

 **lightningstag:** It’s solid reasoning.

‘That’s a good sign,’ Pansy said. ‘Right? He still wants to talk to you at least.’

 **lightningstag:** When would you like to get married?  
**dragon0680:** Don’t you think we should meet first?  
**lightningstag:** We can meet at the wedding. Why are you wanting to get married "right now"?  
**dragon0680:** Inheritance. Why are _you_?

‘Well, I suppose it’s best to be honest,’ Pansy said with a shake of her head.

‘Better than it biting me in the arse later.’

‘Hmm, well, I’ll leave you to it,’ Pansy said and then kissed his cheek before leaving him to it. She settled down with her drink and talked about her plans for that evening. Dinner with the boyfriend. The same every day. Draco was surprised they still saw each other every day anymore, even if it was just for a little while. One drink and then one or the other of them would be running off.

 **lightningstag:** To make sure whoever responded was serious.  
**dragon0680:** How has that worked for you?  
**lightningstag:** Most people think it’s a joke.  
**dragon0680:** If we’re getting married, you should probably know that I want children right away.  
**lightningstag:** Multiple?  
**dragon0680:** Hopefully, only one at a time but without too many years in between. Over all, yes, multiple.  
**lightningstag:** I don’t mind that at all.

Draco bit his lip. As a Healer, it wasn’t impossible for him to get the time off if he were the one to carry the child, but all in all he’d rather not take the time off. His boss loved him, but they might see how much easier it was to not have a Death Eater on staff if he were gone too long. Still, Pansy’s comments aside, it was too early to talk about it. Draco hadn’t even brought it up with Paul. Looking back, it would have been the end of them, Draco was sure.

 **dragon0680:** Are you hideous? If I won’t be seeing you until we’re already married, I’d like to know a bit about what I’m getting myself into.  
**lightningstag:** Ha ha, I don’t think so. Although, I’m a bias source. The meeting at the wedding part actually was a joke.  
**dragon0680:** So where were you thinking of meeting? If you were thinking of it at all.  
**lightningstag:** I _have_ been thinking of it. How about lunch on Wednesday?  
**dragon0680:** Lunch? On Wednesday? What is wrong with dinner on Friday?  
**lightningstag:** I’m looking for husband . . . not a date. I’m tired of dating. I don’t want to meet you dressed in your best and us forcing polite conversation. I want to meet _you_.  
**dragon0680:** I might be able to manage that. I take an hour lunch at one most days. Wednesday as in tomorrow?

He took a moment to respond.

 **ligthningstag:** Next Wednesday. I’d like to get to know you a bit first. Are you able to get to London? We could meet at the Leaky Cauldron.  
**dragon0680:** London is fine—I’m a Healer at St Mungo’s, but I’d rather not the Leaky Cauldron, not even for lunch.

He thought about suggesting a place himself, but waited for his response instead. Draco wanted to see what he came up with. There were plenty of nice places in London both on the Wizarding and Muggle sides.

 **ligthningstag:** If you’d prefer some place Muggle, we could met at a coffee shop. There’s one two doors down from the Leaky Cauldron.  
**dragon0680:** It’s a date. Well, a lunch.

#

‘So, how did the date go?’ Potter said as he sat across from Draco in the break room. He’d come into work on time that day for once, and therefore took his break at the same time as Draco like he was supposed to.

‘Huh?’

‘You said you had a date.’

Draco nodded as he remembered the dead end that had been. The man took one look at Draco and, much like all his new patients in their first appointments, that was all he needed to see that he wasn’t interested.

‘It didn’t pan out, but I’ve got another date—well, a lunch with someone else next Wednesday.’

‘A lunch? Isn’t that more for friends?’

Draco smiled to himself. He had a good feeling about this one. They’d talked into the night after setting up their date. The guy knew Draco was looking for something serious which meant the major hurdle in Draco’s last few relationships had already been passed. He wouldn’t have to question if lightningstag was ready for the conversation and then keep pushing it off.

Still the idea of the meeting twists Draco’s stomach. It could easily turn out just like most of his blind dates do: with the date walking away.

Only this time, Draco would know what he was missing if it all went pear shaped in the end.

Potter watched him, and Draco made his expression blank again.

‘Yes,’ Draco said, ‘well, friends is a good place to start.’  
‘What’s this one like?’

‘What makes you think I know? And why do you even care?’

Potter shrugged. ‘We see each other every day. Am I not allowed to be curious about you?’

‘I’m not curious about you.’

When Potter smirked at that, Draco had to look away. It was a lie, but Potter couldn’t really know that. They weren’t the same people they’d been at school. Draco had been overly interested in what Potter was up to in the past, but the same could be said of Potter.

‘He’s funny,’ Draco said, looking up to see a grin appear on Potter’s face. ‘He seems nice.’

#

**lightningstag:** I never realised how long a week was. I want to see you now.  
 **dragon0680:** We can always meet earlier.

Draco wanted to meet him as well. If it all went to shit, then it was better to get it over with. But he was enjoying their conversations at night as well, and Draco didn’t want to give them up so soon.

 **lightningstag:** No, I want to wait. That way we can say we knew each other a week before we were in engaged.  
**dragon0680:** So certain I’ll ask you during our first date—that’s not even a proper date?  
**lightningstag:** I plan on asking you.

Draco didn’t know what to say to that as he couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

 **dragon0680:** You can’t ask me to marry you on Wednesday; you don’t know my ring size.  
**lightningstag:** True enough! What’s your ring size?  
**dragon0680:** Well, I can’t tell you now that I know your evil plans.  
**lightningstag:** You’ll tell me when you’re ready.

#

‘You’re in a good mood this morning,’ Potter said. He was on time again that day, but he looked tired and not his usual bright, self. He was there, forcing a smile for their patients, and that’s all that mattered.

‘I’m always in a good mood in the mornings, which you’d know if you were on time more often.’

‘Right, I’m trying, but mornings have never been easy on me.’

At least, not in the last several years, but Draco didn’t remember Potter having trouble with them at Hogwarts. He supposed that St Mungo’s mornings were a few hours before Hogwarts’, though.

‘So,’ Potter said, ‘did you have a date last night?’

Draco tried not to smile remembering his conversation from last night. ‘In the middle of the week?’ he said instead. ‘No—it’s not until Wednesday, remember?’

‘You could have gone out with someone else.’

‘Why are you so interested in my love life all of a sudden?’

Potter stepped closer to him. ‘Is it sudden?’

Swallowing, Draco stepped back. ‘Mr Longfellow is waiting for us, room seven.’ As Draco made his escape, he could hear Potter sigh from behind him. Yes, it was sudden. Of course, it was sudden. Potter had never been interested in his life before.

‘Morning, Mr Longfellow,’ Draco said with a smile upon entering the room. ‘What seems to be the problem this morning?’

Mr Longfellow looked Draco up and down and then his eyes fell on Potter, going wide.

‘My Nurse, Potter.’ Then Draco saw the smirk on Potter’s face to that and Draco choked. Had he really just called Potter _his_ nurse? ‘Right, um—’

‘I’ve been hexed,’ Mr Longfellow said, looking at Potter and ignoring Draco. So he was going to be one of those. Draco turned his back to them, pretending to read the file as he rolled his eyes.

Potter checked his blood pressure and heart rate as Mr Longfellow rattled off his symptoms. He had been hexed, and though it was easy enough for Draco to fix, certain hexes were illegal—and anything that had to deal with the genitals fell into that category. Whether they went missing or were suddenly covered in boils.

‘Great, Aurors,’ Draco muttered to himself and then headed to the nurse’s desk to make the call.

‘Have a problem with Aurors?’ Potter asked.

Draco didn’t dignify that with a response. He opened the call and then stepped back. ‘Why don’t you call them, Potter? They like you.’

He ran a hand through his hair and chew his lip for moment. ‘Yeah, I guess I could do that.’

‘You guess?’ Draco watched him as he took Draco’s place in front of the small Floo, but then he pushed Potter aside. ‘I’ll do it; just get on with your rounds.’

‘Thanks.’ Potter blushed but was gone before Draco had turned back to the Floo and the receptionist was waiting for his request.

‘Aurors, please.’

She glared but sent him through.

#

‘Thanks for that,’ Potter said on their break that afternoon.

Draco shrugged it off. ‘How come you’re up here?’

‘I always take my break up here—how come you are?’

‘Dealing with patients who hate me all day is enough without having to deal with colleagues who hate me during my breaks as well.’

‘They don’t hate you.’

Draco gave him a look shutting him up, but it didn’t last long.

‘Why don’t you come out with us tonight?’

‘With who?’ Draco hadn’t know that Potter ever went out, but it was Friday.

He looked up at Draco in surprise as if he thought he knew. ‘Amelia . . . Claire, Henry, and sometimes Ron will drop by.’

The nurses, of course. ‘You go out drinking with Matron Grey?’

Potter laughed, but Draco couldn’t imagine going out for drinks with Healer Smith. ‘Do you ever have any of the other Healers go with you?’

Potter shook his head. ‘They’re all married with kids at home.’

Draco didn’t want to miss lightningstag if he were home that night, but then it was Friday. He might have plans as well.

‘You’re not going to sit around on your computer on a Friday night.’

‘Why not?’ Draco spent most of his Friday nights on his computer.

‘Has no one else asked you out? Only the lunch date guy?’

‘I’ve gone on other dates,’ Draco said with a glare. ‘They didn’t go anywhere.’ Well, they went somewhere actually—out the door as soon as they saw him. That’s where lightningstag was probably headed too on Wednesday.

‘Hmm.’

‘What?’ Draco asked. ‘Just say whatever you’re thinking.’

‘What kind of person sets up a lunch date?’

Draco rolled his eyes. ‘Why do you have such a problem with this bloke?’

‘He wants to marry you and you haven’t even met yet.’

‘It was a joke.’ One that Draco probably shouldn’t have let Potter hear. ‘Why do you even care?’

He didn’t answer and Draco was reminded of their previous conversation about his interest in Draco’s love life not being sudden.

‘Come out with us.’

‘I’m looking for a husband,’ Draco said, firmly. ‘That he is looking for marriage right away is part of his appeal, and I don’t want to waste any more time in bars or clubs with people who aren’t interested in more than a one-night stand or long term fling.’

‘Then come out with _me_.’

Draco laughed. ‘Did you missed the part where I was looking for marriage?’

Rubbing his neck, Potter sighed and the dropped his head forward. After a beat he looked up, glaring at Draco.

‘You can’t possibly be serious?’ Draco gestured around them. ‘Even if we actually liked each other—we work together.’

‘And?’

Draco felt his eyes widen. Of course, Potter would think nothing of that. Rules had never applied to him. Draco took a deep calming breath. No, the rules wouldn’t apply to him with this either. His job was to make it where Draco could do his. They’d already been a packaged deal for years by then.

‘Are you saying,’ Potter said, ‘that you _don’t_ like me?’ He didn’t answer as Potter stood and stepped toward him. ‘If you don’t like me, then don’t come. But if you do—and I think you do, Draco, then we meet up at Cauldron's Corner after dinner.’

#

**lightningstag:** They just walked out?  
 **dragon0680:** It’s just rude—the least they could do is explain why.

Even though, Draco already knew why. He still wished they’d had the courage to say it to his face. Maybe he wished that if they said it, they’d see the lack of reasoning behind it. He was a Death Eater and that was all that matter, but everyone knew—the papers made sure of it—that he’d never killed anyone and had never had much of a choice. Everyone liked to believe they’d have been stronger. Yet time again, when put to the test most people failed. They weren’t stronger. When the choice was life or death, they chose life; no matter how gruesome it was.

 **dragon0680:** You’ll probably do the same thing.  
**lightningstag:** I won’t. I promise.  
**dragon0680:** What would you do? If you saw me and wanted nothing to do with me.  
**lightningstag:** I highly doubt that is possible.  
**dragon0680:** Are you blind?  
**lightningstag:** Ha ha, no. I just . . . like you.

Draco started to and stopped typing multiple responses. He liked him, too. It felt too soon to say it.

 **lightningstag:** I don’t sit up half the night talking with people I don’t like.

Draco bit his lip trying to hold back his smile.

 **dragon0680:** Me either.  
**lightningstag:** So no one will be walking away from Wednesday, right?  
**dragon0680:** Hope not.

It was only Friday and the idea of Wednesday had his stomach in knots.

 **lightningstag:** I have a thing I have to go tonight, but I’ll be back on later if you’re still around.  
**dragon0680:** Yes, maybe.  
**dragon0680:** I might be in bed by then.  
**lightningstag:** I’ll check just in case. Later.

The box sat opened in front of him and Draco decided what to do with himself. He flipped through his calendar. This would have been a night he spent with Paul. And before Paul, then someone else. It was a date night. That meant that Pansy and all of his friends were out. He could work. Or play around online until lightningstag came back on.

Or he could accept Potter’s invitation.

It didn’t have to mean anything. Other nurses were there as well. It was just a meetup of working friends. Draco stared at the screen while he tried talking himself into just going. He’d worked with them all for years. The least it would do was let Draco know where he stood with them.

Work was work and most everyone else kept it that way. Only Amelia and Potter ever pried into his life.

By the time Draco talked himself into showing up for just one drink, he was sure they’d all have gone home. He was surprised to see Harry still there surrounded by more than the few co-workers he’d told Draco would be there. Draco didn’t even recognize everyone in the group.

He planned on turning around and leaving, but Potter spotted him before he could escape.

‘Draco!’ Potter was up from the table and grabbing his arm in a moment. ‘I didn’t think you’d come. So you managed to tear yourself away from your computer, I see.’

He shrugged, not wanting to admit that chatting all night with his upcoming blind date wasn’t an option.

Everyone nodded to Draco as he took the chair next to Potter’s, except Amelia—Nurse Stone—who beamed at him. ‘Giving up on the blind date?’ Amelia asked.

‘Of course not,’ Draco said. ‘That’s later this week—and this is just a drink with friends.’

Amelia’s eyes darted between Draco and Harry.

‘Just friends,’ Draco repeated.

‘Hmmm.’

No one around them seemed convinced and Draco glared at Potter as a drink appeared in front of him.

‘Relax,’ Potter told Draco. ‘And the rest of you shut it. You’re supposed to be on my side here, remember?’

‘How is telling Draco you like him _against_ you?’ Henry asked.

Claire jumped in with, ‘He really does like you—talks about you all the time.’

‘I hate you all,’ Harry said. ‘We work together—it’d be hard to talk about work without talking about you.’

Henry and Claire shared a look, but they must have thought Potter was blushing enough because they didn’t add to it. Potter’s Gryffindor friends didn’t have the same tact however, because Finnigan was the next to poke a hole into Potter’s explanation.

‘That doesn’t explain all the years before you started working together.’ Finnigan was on the other side of Henry to Draco’s right and leaned passed him to say to Draco, ‘At Hogwarts, you were all he ever talked about, too. How he was humiliated in front of you—often by you—that day, how he was going to beat you at Quidditch, wondering what you were up to all sixth year, and then wondering how you were doing after the war.’

‘You’re making me sound like a stalker,’ Harry said with a laugh. He took their teasing good naturedly, but his eyes wouldn’t meet Draco’s until the topic of conversation had changed.  
It changed because Weasley showed up, apologising for being late as the kids were restless and didn’t get to bed on time.

‘Where’s Granger?’

Weasley gave him a funny look. ‘You mean Hermione?’

Draco nodded.

‘She’s not called Granger anymore, Malfoy; she’s my wife.’ Ron chuckled and shook his head. ‘And she’s in bed, because she keeps godawful hours at the Ministry. Plus, she’s not much of a beer fan.’

As they all chatted around Draco, he learned little details about all their lives that he’d never thought about before. Ron took care of the kids through the evenings and got them to bed as he had the more stable work schedule. Hermione was at work early in the morning and often brought it home with her in the evenings. Friends went to visit her at the weekends, but it was rarely the reverse. Finnigan was with Dean Thomas, and they ran a shop together down Diagon Alley. It sold Thomas’s art as well as various odds and ends.

Henry and Claire were an item. Draco glanced at Potter after seeing them holding hands in plain view of everyone around them. Potter’s arm slid over the back of Draco’s chair as he leaned in to whisper in Draco’s ear.

‘There’s no policy against dating your co-workers at St Mungo’s.’

‘But—’ Claire was Matron Grey. Potter, Henry, and Amelia were nurses. She was their boss.

‘Doesn’t matter.’ Potter shook his head as his eyes dropped to Draco’s mouth and then returned to his eyes.

Draco turned back to the group, and Potter pulled his arm back giving Draco space.

He watched them more than participated in the conversations for the rest of the night. He saw Claire and Henry almost every day and somehow he’d missed it. He’d always admired how professional Matron Grey was, even if she could be a bit intimidating. Now he was surprised at how well they all worked together, knowing how close they were outside the hospital.

Potter stayed as everyone left and Draco found himself waiting around as well. Once everyone had left, Potter led him out of the pub and they walked down the street. Potter’s hand brushed the back of Draco’s, but he didn’t pull it away.

‘So,’ Potter said. ‘You are interested.’

‘I never said that.’

‘But you showed up.’

Draco shrugged. ‘Maybe I was interested it what you did on Friday nights, or maybe I was just bored.’

‘Maybe you could just tell me.’

‘I still think you’re mad for even considering us as a possibility.’

‘Why?’

‘We have nothing in common.’

Potter laughed at that. ‘We work together—I’d say we have plenty in common just from that.’

‘Why do you even work there?’

Potter was quiet for a moment. ‘You.’

‘What?’

‘I was in and out of St Mungo’s a lot after I left the Aurors.’

Draco remembered seeing him in the lift and the corridors at times. They didn’t have many services for Mind Healing so Potter was sent all over the place with new doctors trying different experiments on him.’

‘And one day I overheard a conversation about you. You’re such a great Healer and you’ve worked so hard, but that there was no way Healer Smith could keep you on if your patients refused to be in the same room with you.’

Folding his arms across his chest, Draco looked away. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’

‘And you hate me for it, I know, but I do enjoy my job. Much better than being an Auror.’ He smiled at Draco. ‘I like watching you heal people . . . and it’s kind of fun to watch their opinions of you change over time.’

He looked at Potter then. ‘Potter—’

‘We’ve been working together for over three years, don’t you think you could address me by my given name?’

‘Like you call me Draco.’

‘Yes, _Draco_ , I do. I call you Draco to my friends, to our co-workers, and to your face. You just ignore it, just like you’ve tried to ignore my presence ever since the war.’ Potter suddenly stopped walking. ‘Your flat.’

Draco looked up to see that it was. ‘How did you—’

‘You told me, going on two years ago now.’ Potter almost looked amused. ‘At the time, I was stupid enough to think it was an invitation. I’d come by not realising you were seeing someone. A "Thomas" answered the door.’

Potter stepped closer and Draco back towards his door. He thought Potter was going to try and kiss him, but he kept his distance. 

Sighing, Potter said, ‘I’ll see you at work.’

#

Monday was awkward. Stiff and formal. Potter not Draco. Draco had always been stiff and formal, and now he was seeing what Potter had put up with from him for the last few years. He couldn’t understand how he could still be interested in Draco after it all. Draco had done his best to push Potter away.

‘Harry,’ Draco said.

He froze in the middle of making his coffee for their last break of the day. Potter hadn’t sat with him at lunch, but went down to the cafe with Amelia after Henry had come in for his shift.

Potter turned and he looked resigned, yet hopeful.

Draco knew that saying his name was too little, too late.

‘I’m sorry,’ Draco said, ‘for the last few years. For how I’ve treated you. You were nothing but nice to me and I never gave you a chance—I was just so angry with you.’

Harry accepted Draco’s apology and Tuesday wasn’t as bad, but then Wednesday came around. Their fragile truce was shaking with every word. Draco had thought they’d moved passed this, but he could tell that Harry was on edge.

He’d called him Harry more than once by then. Draco was getting used to it.

Then just before their lunch, Draco finally understood what had Harry acting so oddly.

‘Don’t go,’ Harry said.

It took a moment for Draco to put together what he meant.

Wednesday, finally.

He was going to meet lightningstag for the first time. They’d talked every day, and their conversations were the only ones that made Draco smile anymore.

‘I’m not going to just stand him up. It would be rude.’

‘Is that the only reason?’

‘I like him,’ Draco said. ‘He makes me laugh.’

‘I could make you laugh.’

Draco smiled. ‘Probably, if I let you.’

After a beat, Draco spoke again. ‘Look, I don’t know that it will go anywhere. He’ll probably leave as soon as he knows I’m a Death Eater. That’s what generally happens. You and I; we have a lot of baggage to work through, and I don’t have a lot of time. I’m not asking you to wait—I never was.’

Harry nodded and then crossed his arms then he said—stubborn, fool that he was—

‘But I will.’

#

Draco stood frozen at the entrance of the coffee shop, staring at Harry not quite sure if he were real. He’d left Harry at the hospital. Draco might have taken his time making his way to the shop, but surely he would have noticed Harry passing him by.

A woman cleared her throat behind him, and Draco stepped farther in and out of her way.

Looking up from the paper in front of him, Harry’s eyes met Draco’s.

A question formed on his lips, but Draco got a hold of himself and moved to turn away. His body froze for a completely different reason as Harry threw a spell at him before he could take his first step.

‘It’s rude to walk out on a date,’ Harry said and walked over and took Draco’s arm. ‘The least you could do is sit down and explain why.’

Harry released the spell and guided Draco to his seat. He could feel the onlookers' eyes upon them, but Harry quickly cast another spell to fix that as well. The Muggles went back to their own conversations as Harry and Draco went suddenly unnoticed by them all.

‘Why?’

Harry gestured for Draco to continue.

‘No,’ Draco said. ‘That was my question for you: why? Why are you doing this?’

‘I. Like. You.’

‘So you stalked my dating profile?’

Harry laughed at that and then gestured to coffee already sitting there ready for Draco. ‘I didn’t stalk—come on, your screen name was a giveaway.’

‘Why not just ask me . . .’ Draco took a breath already knowing the answer to that. He had asked him out. ‘Why not tell me before, when you asked me out?’

‘And have you walk out on me? You didn’t believe we had a real chance. You still don’t, but you believed it when you didn’t know it was me. Isn’t that what you were always complaining about? Isn’t that what you’d been worried about with this date? That whoever it was would take one look at you and walk away?’

Then Draco tried to do it to him.

‘All I’m asking for is a chance.’ 

‘You could have told me just now, at St Mungo’s.’

‘I wanted you to pick me, not—’

‘The faceless you?’

Harry nodded. ‘It’s stupid, I know.’

‘No, it’s not.’

Draco took a breath, staring down at his coffee then sat up straight as he picked it up and took a sip. ‘You pay far too much attention to me, Potter.’

Harry gave him a stern look.

‘This is me giving you a chance, Harry.’

Which won Draco a smile.

‘Do you think we can do this? Get married, have children? I was serious about the baggage. Falling into a quick marriage with someone who makes you laugh is far different than marrying your old school rival—even if you do have passionate moments.’

Harry’s smile broadened. ‘Oh, you felt those, too?’

Draco rolled his eyes.

‘And here Ron was convinced it was all in my head,’ Harry said as he pulled a box out of his pocket, but hesitated before placing it upon the table. ‘I think we can do this.’

‘You didn’t,’ Draco said. ‘You couldn’t have.’

‘You’re right. I couldn’t have.’ Harry opened the box—it was empty. ‘You never gave me your ring size.’

Draco sighed in relief.

‘We’re looking for the same things, Draco. The only difference is that I already knew I wanted them with you. I’m ready. I’ve been ready. The question is: are you?’

‘If I found—’ Draco stopped. He wasn’t arguing with Pansy about this—the question wasn’t about marriage, in general. It was whether or not Potter could be that person. He needed more time. ‘I have a year.’

‘Yeah?’ Harry closed the box and handed it to Draco. ‘For when you’re ready.’

When the food suddenly arrived, startling Draco who’d been so lost in the moment that he’d forgotten they were in public.

Shaking his head at Harry, Draco said, ‘I can feed myself.’

‘I figured we’d be a little short on time what with the argument we were sure to have over this. You can order next time.’

**Author's Note:**

> Comment here for on [Livejournal for the author to see](http://hd-familyfest.livejournal.com/21120.html). Authors & Artists will remain anonymous until reveals - posted after October 1, 2016


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